By Fatmata Jengbe
Dorwontony Organization for the Aged (DOFA) with support from the Heritage Group of Company on Saturday 22th November 2020, at the Thunder Hill Community, Eastern Freetown, fed over 500 old people and engaged stakeholders on the campaign against Gender Based Violence, Sexual offences and the corona virus.
Addressing her audience, Dorren Barrie, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Dorwontony Organization for the Aged (DOFA), said the engagement is part of DOFA’s continued support and advocacy for the Aged in Sierra Leone, adding that old people should not be considered as liability in society, but rather that they should be given the care they deserve, because they are the backbone of any peaceful society.
Dorren stated that there is only one Home for the Aged in the country at the moment, and DOFA is looking out for possible sponsors for another home for the Aged, where they can host those on the streets and change their living standards.
CEO Barie furthered that the Organisation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board and Purposeful Organisation, where the Legal Aid Board will provide free legal support for the Aged, whilst Purposeful Organisation will provide sensitization and awareness raising in the area of Education and Gender Based Violence.
She also disclosed that DOFA decided to sign the MOUs with those organisations because they discovered that a lot of men above the age of 50 are under dentition across the country for committing sexual offences, thus their intervention will raise awareness to deal with such challenges in communities.
In his contribution, Commissioner Robert K Kargbo, Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Group of Company, said the CEO of DOFA is very much passionate about the welfare of old people and it is this passion that drove him to support the initiative. CEO Kargbo said DOFA has a very good package for old people and since he hails from the eastern part of the city, he has been advocating for them. He noted that for far too long old people have been suffering from discrimination in their respective communities.
‘Most of the time, people call them witches for no good reason, without any evidence. These people go through a lot of trauma. Please young people, see these old folks as your parents,” he maintained.
He disclosed that the Government of President Bio through the Ministry of Social Affairs has brought out policies to protect old people and support them. He furthered that the heritage group will continue to give its support to DOFA in this important venture.
Moriba, Representing Legal Aid Board, assured of LAB’s support and that the Executive Director, Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, is someone that has the Aged at heart.
He stated that the Legal Aid Board of Sierra Leone was established with the responsibility to provide free legal aid services for the poor, including legal representation, advise, assistance, legal and community based outreach, alternative dispute resolution etc. He said they are currently in the 14 Districts across the country.
Sheik Alhaji Sesay, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to Dorwontony Organization for the Aged for the gesture, which he described as not only important to them but very timely
